Thursday, August 28, 2014

Désirée Zamorano's newest novel is about four women linked by birth, separated by secrets of sex, money and death. Look for The Amado Women from Cinco Puntos Press.

She delights in the exploration of contemporary issues of injustice and inequity, via her mystery series featuring private investigator, Inez Leon. Human Cargo was Latinidad's mystery pick.

Modern Cons is a story of psychological suspense where she explores the reverberations of being raised by a con artist.

A Pushcart prize nominee and award-winning short story writer, Desiree is also proud of having co-authored with her sister two plays commissioned by southern California's Bilingual Foundation for the Arts. "Reina" and "Bell Gardens 90201" received Equity productions and toured for a total of eight years.

Welcome, Desiree!

1.What inspired you to become awriter?

When I had all the sophistication of a
third grader who read anything in front of her, I knew way back then that I
wanted to be a writer—it just seemed like fun! As I grew older I realized that
I wanted to do was to be able to captivate a reader, to hold her interest, to
provide a place apart from the din of real life.

2.How did you come up with the story of THE
AMADOWOMEN?

I wanted to write about women like me who
I call invisible Latinas-Latinas who are professionals or struggling to be successful.
I also wanted to write about a group of women who were deeply different from
each other, and the best place to find that is a family.Like many writers, I hope to take seeds of
truth and transmute them into a story with a plot and resolution.That’s what I have attempted in The Amado Women.

3.Which character did you relate to themost?

All of my characters have bits and pieces
of me, even the men! Fortunately the challenges the women face are very
different from my own—I am unsure, or perhaps unwilling to out myself here with
which character I most identify ;)

4.How is your writing different than all
the other books in thisgenre?

The majority of published novels, including
family dramas, skew heavily white.The
obvious difference in my novel is that this is a Mexican-American
family, which I hope I have cast against expectations.In terms of the story itself I believe it is
the depth of characterization and relationships that set this novel apart from
others in its genre.My
stories are all about displacement: how we long to belong. In our lives
we may wonder are we in the right family? Will they accept the shameful
parts of us? Can we survive with or without each other? I hope, gentle
reader, you will recognize yourself, your struggles, your successes, in at
least one of these Amado Women

5.What is the best thing aboutwriting?

The most wonderful thing about
writing is its capacity for creative self-expression, no matter the form!My greatest challenge in writing is shaping
what I want to say into an engaging story, making it palatably entertaining
without being didactic.

6.What is the most challenging thing aboutwriting?

Being sure that no one sees the sweat.

7.What is the one thing readers want to
know aboutyou?

Readers love knowing which of the secrets
in this novel are my own.That’s all I’m
going to say about that.

8.Do you feel your book is an inspiration
to Latinas?How so?

It is up to the reader to tell me if they
find this novel inspiring; I just hope I have shared a facet of ourselves in a
way of changing the mental landscape of so many people who have an
exceptionally limited perception of who we are, of our roles and our language
abilities.

9.Do you have plans for an upcomingbook?

I am always at work on the next novel! I
love my private investigator, Inez Leon, and am puzzling out another adventure
for her.I also have another domestic
drama in the works, fingers crossed that my publisher will like it.

Friday, August 22, 2014

When it comes to making sure a room looks effortlessly perfect, Jillian Winters is the one to call. She loves her job as the set decorator for a hit TV show, she and her ex have come to mutually beneficial arrangement and her dream of launching her own decorating business is closer to becoming a reality.

And just when things couldn’t get any more perfect, everything goes in the opposite direction. Her ex proves to be just as untrustworthy as always, her boss makes it clear as to who will be taking credit for her work and unexpected expenses shrink her nest egg to hummingbird proportions.

When recently divorced Ethan Marshall gives her carte blanche as well has his credit card to turn his new and very empty loft into a home, she finds herself falling in love with it and the man she’s creating it for.Reviewed by: CeliaRating: 4 stars

Jillian is someone most of us can
relate to—she’s broke, she gets sick of her job sometimes, and love couldn’t be
further away for this strung-up divorcee. What’s even more interesting is that
she’s also in this twisted love affair with her ex—a pompous, pig of a man.
What’s even more twisted is that she claims this is something she’s just doing
for “fun.”

Sparks rapidly fly as soon as she
meets Ethan Marshall, and then, suddenly, it seems that she’s never been
happier….until the ex shows up and (of course) ruins it all.